York surrenders to Parliament

Historical Context Note

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.04: English Writing and Culture of the Seventeenth Century, 1625-1688.
Vol. editors: Jennifer Brady (Rhodes College), Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Neil Forsyth (Université de Lausanne), Claire Preston (Queen Mary, University of London), J A Roe (University of York), Virginia Mason Vaughan (Clark University)

Domains

Battle

Dates

Date of occurrence 1644-07-16

Places

United Kingdom (Location)

Resources

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In the summer of 1644, both the Parliamentarian-Scottish allegiance and the Royalists were involved in a struggle for control over York, England's second city and previously Charles I's northern stronghold. Prince Rupert of the Rhine, King Charles' nephew, led his army on a march towards York from the north in order to relieve the city from its Parliamentarian besiegers. On 1st July, Rupert reached York with an army of more than 17 000, and successfully secured the city for the King. The following day, however, his forces met the Parliamentarian army in battle west of York, at Marston Moor. This was the largest confrontation at any point in the British civil wars, and was eventually lost by the Royalists, due in part to failures of communication between Rupert and his fellow Royalist…

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